Hokitika, Franz Josef and Fox Glacier

Hokitika, Franz Josef and Fox Glacier

Wild West coast beaches and hinterland are a natural backdrop to this thriving community -they even have a Facebook page dedicated to sunsets.

The seaside town has a lively arts scene to match its colourful heritage during the goldrush days of the 1860’s. The town also received a flurry of publicity when it was the setting for the 2013 Booker Prize winning novel The Luminaries which added an element of intrigue to the area.

Hokitika becomes an annual magnet for foodies with its renowned Hokitika Wild Foods festival every March. The town has good cafe’s and restaurants and is known as a centre for jade carving with a number of galleries.

The family friendly West Coast Wilderness trail gives people reason enough to take several days exploring the area. Add a visit to the glow worm caves, the Hokitika Gorge, the West Coast Treetop Walkway followed by Lake Mahinapua and Hokitika delivers a nature based experience that is hard to match.

In glacier country with the Southern Alps towering above you, Franz Josef is two hours south of Hokitika and 25 minutes north of Fox Glacier township. Franz Josef is the larger of the two with a number of restaurants, cafes and accommodation options. Both Fox and Franz have a range of guided activities to view the glaciers. Franz Josef glacier is a five minute drive from the township with a 45 minute walk to the viewing area. Please follow the safety instructions provided.

Fox Glacier is the longer of the two and its terminal face is five kilometres from the township.

Okarito Lagoon with is native herons and Waitangi Roto nature reserve are also recommended.